Campus and Community IMPACT REPORT CENTER FOR HUMANITARIAN ENGAGEMENT
1 | Generosity in Service
Contents 3 Legacy of Love
A brief timeline of CHE at WWU.
9 Building Changemakers
From academic achievement to impactful career.
15 Blue Zones Project
Building a certified-healthy community.
19 Blue Mountain Volunteer Corps Local impact partnerships taken to the next level.
23 Student-Led Programs
Service initiatives developed on campus for community.
31 Love in Action
Applying it all as He designs.
33 Global Impact
Taking lessons learned near and far.
37 People and Purpose
Recognizing our student leaders and impact partners.
Director’s Message Sometimes the job isn’t the job A few months ago, I found myself deep in blackberry bushes behind a 400-square-foot home, chainsaw in hand, helping clear a path for Carolie, a neighbor who’s been living alone on two acres along Garrison Creek. She sat under a tree while one of our students, Caleb, worked nearby. When I came around the bend, I saw Caleb animatedly telling her a story. She was fully present—leaning back in the grass, eyes bright. “David, David,” she called out. “Have you heard the story of Joseph?” Of course I had. But the way she asked—like it was the most important thing we could talk about in that moment— reminded me why this work matters. Caleb had told me they hadn’t gotten much done yet because Carolie had asked him to share his favorite Bible story. More than an hour later, there they were—still talking. This is the heart of what we do at the Center for Humanitarian Engagement. Yes, we mow lawns and remove branches. We host campus-wide service days, run emergency response training, send students around the world, and build community through creativity, conversation, and cards. But more than that, we give students the opportunity to show up fully—to bring their talents, their stories, and their faith into spaces that need hope and human connection. This year, we’ve seen students lead C.A.R.E. Weekends, launch new programs, honored with civic leadership awards, and push the boundaries of what service looks like on a college campus. They’ve stepped off campus and into homes, fields, churches, and streets—serving with humility, learning with curiosity, and growing into changemakers. We believe service is not a box to check—it’s a way of living. And in every story like Caleb and Carolie’s, we see the ripple effects of what happens when students are empowered to lead with love. Thank you for being part of this journey. Your partnership, prayers, and support make this possible. With gratitude,
- E. David Lopez Executive Director, Center for Humanitarian Engagement
3 | CHE Timeline
The Center for Humanitarian Engagement (CHE) was founded in 2018 as a result of students, faculty, and staff at WWU desiring to raise the level of service on our campuses. CHE embodies the university’s core theme of Generosity in Service by providing impactful, sustainable ways for students to volunteer within their community and meet learning objectives through service. It is by connecting with Christ through service that we involve students in sharing God’s love with those around us.
The following CHE timeline offers a glimpse at WWU’s commitment to hands-on service programming and learning opportunities within our classrooms and beyond.
The Center for Humanitarian Engagement opens as a collaborative hub to foster academic and community service efforts at WWU.
CHE Founded
Paradise Fire Direct relief efforts in Paradise, CA support 1,700 individuals with water, debris removal, and other services.
Cuba Mission A CHE summer trip distributes donated supplies, supports churches, and connects with people in Havana.
Eden’s Pantry Made available to WWU students in response to campus food insecurity.
When the Walla Walla Valley faced a major flood, CHE mobilized volunteers to support recovery efforts and responded where other agencies could not.
COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics
Managed nearly 4,000 community volunteers to provide more than 50,000 vaccines through mass vaccination clinics.
Blue Mountain Volunteer Corps Launch
The BMVC is founded with a United Way partnersnhip. CHE student workers manage a recruitment platform for thousands of local volunteers.
Flood Recovery Response
Blue Zones Walla Walla became a recognized Blue Zones community after this health initiative was hosted in the area through CHE.
CHE produced the first Service Leadership Summit with leaders and organizations in service around campus.
COVID-19 Hope
Adapted to virtual service opportunities with Project Send Hope, Uplifting Art, Intentional Acts of Kindness, and other response initiatives.
Service Leadership Summit
Hey Neighbor Neighbor! Launch of an initiative to combat isolation and loneliness.
A docuseries on the impact of community volunteerism, produced with Blue Mountain Television and WWU’s Center for Media Ministry.
Generosity TV
C.A.R.E. Weekly projects curated for regular campus and family service. Regional community needs and resources explored.
Classroom experiences equip students of any major for career service by providing real-world approaches to social, cultural, and ethical professional change.
Community Impact Certificate
Tool Library
An affordable tool lending membership service opens with support from Adventist Community Services and the North Pacific Union Conference.
CHE Certified
A service-centered program built to enrich the experience of student club members through the mentorship and development of club leaders.
Walla Walla Health Fair
The Alaska Project Supported youth leadership in Nome with music, meals, games, and connection.
Wallowa Storm Response County cleanup, damage assessment, and community relief.
Guatemala Clinics The first annual preprofessional service trip helps prepare students for medical and dental school enrollment.
Workshops informing the public of health services, connection opportunities, and accessible resources, people, and tools.
75 volunteers refresh Meske Hall, prepare meals for community members, and lead worship opportunities on the WWU campus.
Maranatha Campus Care
Game Deck Hundreds of Spring Block Party attendees engage with their neighbors during the pilot of a city-sponsored challenge card game.
CERT Annual trainings and disaster simulations on campus lead to the formation of a local Community Emergency Response Team.
Incoming first-year students experience downtown Walla Walla and meet community partners during a CHE service scavenger hunt.
Discovering Community Scavenger Hunt Bigger and Better Students host the first Hope Heals drive to gather household essentials for families exiting homelessness.
Community Engagement Workshop Stephen Pilgrim and CHE host C.A.R.E. pilot program leaders.
U-Crew Launch
Culture Kitchen Creating community and filling summer gaps for students unable to return home or work on international F-1 visas.
Donation-based handiwork services meet needs in the homes of elderly neighbors when health or mobility threaten independent living.
Birthday Together
Volunteers prepare kits for local nonprofits, ensuring nobody remains uncelebrated on their special day.
Career and Community WWU and Whitman students attend a fair with opportunities to develop themselves while helping others.
WWU students become teachers in a CHE pilot partnership with local agencies to meet computer literacy needs in the community.
Our Why To cultivate a Christcentered culture of service by connecting students and community members, building unity, and responding to the needs of both campus and community.
CHE VISION
Digital Navigators
Two church-planting conference weekends in Seattle produce a student-led mission trip to discover Christian life, culture, and service in the city.
CHE MISSION
APIC Spring Break Seattle Mission
To see every student empowered to live a life of compassionate service—on campus, in the community, and around the world— through expanded servicelearning curriculum and hands-on opportunities that build servant leaders in every field.
Student-Led Impact WWU students learn beyond the classroom. They experience the value of servant leadership before venturing into the professional world. With the spirit of Christ leading their every step, we are proud to witness how their compassion, innovation, and commitment to service transform communities near and far.
9,160
Community service
First-year students
80%
voluntarily engaged in service on-andoff campus.
hours served by students each year.
7 Annual C.A.R.E. Weekend service opportunities, held weekly during the school year.
40+
Annual sustained, student-led service initiatives. Including Engineers Without Borders, His Kids in Action, and CHE programs.
30 Students recognized for outstanding service.
We give students the opportunity to show up fully—to bring their talents, their stories, and their faith into spaces that need hope and human connection—while leading others to do the same.
9 | Building Changemakers
Building Changemakers Leaders today and tomorrow CHE staff attend WWU’s annual student leadership retreat alongside ASWWU officers, the Chaplain’s Office, and student missions. Through morning worships, bonding activities, and interactive workshops, students leaders build relationships and collaborate in preparation for each upcoming school year. The CHE team engages in meaningful discussions on the importance of self-care and burnout prevention in service roles while program managers strategize practical steps for fostering a consistent and impactful culture of service throughout the year. Other CHE growth and networking experiences have included Seeds, ACTS, Propel, the Christian Community Development Association Conference, and nonprofit workshops.
Living out Generosity in Service is central to the mission of WWU. CHE energizes a campus-wide lifestyle of service by connecting students with service-oriented tools, resources, and opportunities. Determined to help students find a calling—not just a career—CHE works to build long-term relationships with the community and plugs students with specific skills into the needs of local and global organizations.
52
Students who have graduated with the Community Impact Certificate.
Community Impact Certificate The Community Impact Certificate provides students with a transformative complement to their chosen academic education at Walla Walla University. This program was built in collaboration with the School of Engineering and aims to deeply engage students of any major, fostering a focused community that actively learns, grows and serves together.
When emphasis requirements are met, students receive a certificate on their transcript and diploma that indicates an intentional preparedness to apply their degree to a humanitarian career. SERV core curriculum includes a Community Engagement Experience involving academically-assessed cultural immersion and local nonprofit or global NGO service.
11 | Building Changemakers
Student Civic Leadership Awards As a member institution of the Washington Campus Coalition for the Public Good, Walla Walla University students are eligible to receive Student Civic Leadership Awards. This award honors outstanding student leaders who demonstrate a deep commitment to civic engagement and social entrepreneurship.
Award recipients who exemplified Generosity in Service at Walla Walla University:
Liberty Anderson is one of six WWU students who have earned this recognition. A dedicated student leader on the CHE team through the entirety of her undergraduate studies, Anderson began as the C.A.R.E. Weekend coordinator and went on to serve as senior volunteer manager before becoming assistant to the director her final year. With a passion for advocacy and sustainable community involvement, Anderson’s leadership has made a lasting difference.
• Anilce Castillo • Darius Felder • George Perez Jr. • Liberty Anderson • Mitchell Powers • Shayla Kern
Leadership Award recipients.
6
“
1 My time at the CHE showed me that service shows up in everyday life—not just overseas or in the most vulnerable communities. Over the past four years, being exposed to different areas of our community helped me internalize that. Being recognized with this award confirms that the work I was doing through the CHE was meaningful and made a real difference.
“
Student Civic
- Liberty Anderson Liberty graduated as the 2025 class president and went on to pursue a postgraduate degree in nonprofit management.
1
In 2022, Darius Felder was honored with the Governor’s Student Civic Leadership Award. An engineering major with a vision to be a “humanitarian engineer,” Darius set an example for students of higher education across the state of Washington by serving: • As a teacher of seventh through ninth graders in Yap, Micronesia through WWU’s student missionary program. • In the local chapter of Engineers Without Borders, helping research net-zero energy homes for the planning of solar solutions to support communities in Peru and a Native American tribe in Arizona. • As treasurer for the Black Christian Student Forum, celebrating and promoting black and minority culture and history.
Recipient of the esteemed Governor’s
• Within the academic standards of the Global Humanitarian Engineering Emphasis program.
Student Civic Leadership award.
Scan the QR code to learn more about the service work of Darius Felder.
• As club president for His Kids in Action, a club dedicated to bringing positivity to a vulnerable local population of kids around the Walla Walla Penitentiary.
The Center for Humanitarian Engagement aims to integrate service into academics—not just through volunteer opportunities, but through servicelearning experiences in the classroom—equipping WWU students to graduate as transformative change agents in their communities.
- John McVay President Emeritus, Walla Walla University
13 | Building Changemakers
Where service meets calling Discovering the power of service beyond cleanups and canned goods
Since an early age, my family taught me the importance of service and staying active in the community. I was deeply involved in youth ministry and student leadership throughout high school, and I started a girls’ mentorship program during COVID. I’m incredibly grateful for the mentors who guided me during that time and the lessons I learned, but by the time I entered university, I was feeling burned out and eager to reconnect with Christ outside of traditional church leadership roles. I grew spiritually and personally in my first two years of college, yet I still felt unfulfilled in my desire to serve and uplift others. My first introduction to the Center for Humanitarian Engagement was during Walla Walla University’s Fall Service Day. I participated in a Free Intelligent Conversation activity, and through that experience, I realized that service can look like so much more than park cleanups and packaging meals. While those efforts are important, I believe meaningful change often begins with relationships. I was seeking opportunities to connect with my community and its needs on a more personal level, but I wasn’t sure such opportunities existed.
I’ve learned that purpose is found at the intersection of what you love and what others need.
I believe meaningful change often begins with relationships.
As my college journey continued, I became eager to step into leadership again, with a renewed desire to serve through connection. So when a marketing professor and mentor mentioned a job opening on the CHE marketing team, despite having little knowledge of what CHE did, I was curious and eager to grow in a service-centric space with a different approach. During my year in this role, I was amazed by the impact that CHE had both within and beyond the WWU campus. Over time, as my role evolved, I found ways to connect with the community sustainably, working alongside a team deeply committed to helping whoever walks in the door. Through CHE, I’ve been able to connect with specific community members and meet tangible needs like restoring dignity and peace within their homes. But I’ve also grown exponentially as a young professional, leader, and marketer. I originally pursued marketing to uplift cause-driven initiatives like CHE and help connect their audiences to meaningful resources. This role gave me the chance to do just that by working in a professional environment, attending conferences, and sitting in committee meetings with service-minded changemakers from across the nation. I am so proud of the progress CHE has made and even more grateful for the way it’s helped me discover my own purpose. Through CHE, I found that service doesn’t always look the way I expected; and that my creative talents could be used to make a real, lasting impact. I’ve learned that purpose is found at the intersection of what you love and what others need. Giving back through my strengths has been the most fulfilling part of my college experience, and I hope future students can find their own unique way to serve, lead, and grow just like I did.
- Anique Gruia 2024–25 CHE Marketing Manager
15 | Blue Zones Project
Walla Walla Valley
Blue Zones Project In 2024, the Walla Walla Valley became Washington’s first Blue Zones certified community. Blue Zones are geographical regions across the world where people live significantly longer, healthier, and happier lives on average. CHE played an instrumental role in facilitating the local implementation of Blue Zones and proudly participated in this transformative initiative alongside thousands of residents and dozens of organizations thanks to the generous support of Adventist Health. Certification indicates that environmental changes, policy adoption, and strengthened social networks have made it measurably easier to make everyday healthy choices.
Impact by numbers
100%
57
All 6 local elementary schools launched the Walking School Bus Program
Policies and programs enacted to improve tobacco use, food access, and built environments.
957+
80+
Coalition of volunteers.
Organizations involved.
Measurable well-being improvements Overall well-being
Social well-being
8.8 points among engaged residents (66.8 to 75.6 out of 100)
13 points (highest improvement area) thanks to local built environment and policies
Purpose well-being
Healthcare impact
11.8 points - residents finding meaning through community and personal endeavors.
Each point increase = 2 percent reduction in ER visits and hospital use.
Building a happier Walla Walla The Blue Zones Project is so much more than the highlighted numbers on these pages. It is a foundation for a greater community. This certification represents investment in a brighter future for all ages and serves as an inspiration for the rest of the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest. The policies adopted, environments transformed and social connections strengthened will benefit Walla Walla Valley residents for generations to come. The efforts of the Blue Zones Certification process are about more than just improving lifestyles. Blue Zones creates a culture where healthy choices are easy choices, resulting in reduced healthcare costs, improved workforce productivity, and enhanced quality of life for all. CHE was proud to contribute to community-wide transformations through the efforts of administrators and students alike—demonstrating how collective action creates lasting positive change.
Individuals attended a plant-based healthy cooking class.
Residents participated in Purpose Workshops to rediscover and apply their gifts in their daily lives.
Blue Zones and CHE
People met up with a Walking Moai for connecting to move naturally together.
Scan the QR code to watch a Blue Mountain Television exclusive and hear from David Lopez how CHE became a core part of the Blue Zones project coming to Walla Walla.
17 | Blue Zones Project
Landmark community changes Walawála Plaza Permanent pedestrian gathering space (won the Excellence on Main Award).
Produce Rx program Pilot providing free produce to patients with diet-related chronic disease.
Vision Zero policies Adopted by Walla Walla and College Place for zero traffic fatalities by 2032.
School gardens Expanded garden programs reaching 150+ students with nutrition education.
Complete Streets initiatives Creating safer infrastructure for all transportation modes.
Ten Blue Zones approved worksites Organizations optimizing employee well-being.
Six Blue Zones approved schools Serving 3,225+ students with healthier environments. Seven Blue Zones approved restaurants Offering healthier menu options.
Tobacco-free events City ordinances for smoke-and vape-free public events.
Within the first year of incorporating initiatives such as micro-breaks, flexible sitto-stand furniture, and Walking Moais, the City of Walla Walla saw a 10 percent decrease in employee health risks associated with sitting for long periods of time.
The City of Walla Walla has created an environment where I can work with my supervisor to flex my schedule when needed, so I can be there for those moments with my family and still get work done in-office. - Rikki Gwen City Support Services City of Walla Walla
Read More Scan the QR code for a comprehensive review of the Walla Walla Valley Blue Zones Project.
19 | BMVC Local Impact
Local Impact Blue Mountain Volunteer Corps Since 1940, United Way of the Blue Mountains has provided an effective system for supporting local nonprofit health and human services. CHE student workers are the sole managers of the Blue Mountain Volunteer Corps (BMVC), a volunteer platform that United Way hosts to help local agencies post volunteer opportunities for community members and students alike to jump into action.
This endeavor has transformed partnerships and advocacy within the Walla Walla Valley. The BMVC, through year-round collaboration between student leaders and community partners, responds to crisis needs and attends to regular volunteer recruitment for local organizations across our valley.
60,000
Annual Volunteer Hours
62,305
4,500
* Yes, you read that number 4,372
4,000 3,500
4,305
3,635
3,000 2,500
2,476
2,000 1,500 1,000 500 0
15 2020
2021*
2022
2023
2024
2025
correctly. More than 62,000 hours were logged in 2021—the year WWU partnered with United Way to transform an under-utilized volunteer platform into the active BMVC. We immediately supported frequent clinics needing nearly 120 daily volunteers. From 2022 onwards shows the momentum of ongoing BMVC operations efforts managed by CHE student workers.
The BMVC is the vital link that bridges volunteers to local agencies, enriching the lives of WWU neighbors through the power of service. CHE student workers maintain a database of volunteers ready to respond in moments of crisis and meet everyday service needs.
6,708 Individuals who have joined the BMVC since 2021.
We thank United Way for a partnership that supports student development and community engagement.
21 | BMVC Local Impact
The
VALUE Volunteers are the cornerstone of thriving communities.
$2,779,514
Estimated dollar value of services provided to charitable organizations through student-driven volunteer labor.
“Having students help out with tasks that need done when preparing care packages or putting away donations is a huge help ... thank you so much for letting us meet with other students and share my passion with helping other people in need. I appreciate Service Day volunteers and being able to spread the word about Hope Heals.” - Annette Bovent, Founder Hope Heals Walla Walla
“
“
We are proud to recognize that WWU students go above and beyond to become the hands and feet of Jesus by lending their time and hearts to impactful service. Calculated on 2021–25 BMVC data using research from Independent Sector with the Do Good Institute at the University of Maryland. » independentsector.org/research
Service in in numbers
3
A snapshot of BMVC hours, events, and lives impacted through opportunities coordinated by CHE student leaders.
Community Impact Initiatives Local emergency events aided by CHE volunteers.
5%
5%
5% 10%
58%
6,000
17%
Cards of encouragement sent to healthcare providers and COVID-19 patients through Project Send Hope.
Community and Social Engagement
Education and Mentorship
Health and Wellness
Animal Welfare
Food and Nutrition
Technical Services
Annual Service Opportunities 100
111 99
80
88 78
73
60 40
Community-serving partner organizations.
20 0
80
2020–21*
2022
2023
2024
*Numbers include COVID-19 emergency response projects.
2025
23 | Student-Led Programs
Student-Led By students, for students, from the start.
The CHE mission extends beyond service—we are committed to developing future leaders. From inception, CHE has consisted of up to two university staff as directors of a student team, providing individualized mentorship and practical experience in project management, event coordination, impact marketing, nonprofit administration, and community engagement. Exceptional groups of student managers and their teams lead the student body in faithfully realizing Generosity in Service through programming on and off campus. This student-led model not only empowers Walla Walla University students with real-world skills but also strengthens the university’s commitment to experiential learning and career development. The CHE team has grown to exceed 20 concurrent student workers and continues to pair expanding service passions with opportunities to tackle existing needs.
C.A.R.E. is an acronym for Community Action Relief Experience.
C.A.R.E. Weekends Ongoing Weekly C.A.R.E. Weekends are 1–2-hour service opportunities offered throughout the academic year, making service accessible for busy students. Student coordinators seek out family-friendly service opportunities and welcome community participation. The academic years 2024–25 and 2025–26 each saw 26 C.A.R.E. Weekend events with increasing attendance through expanded collaboration with student clubs and academic groups. These partnerships are helping cultivate a stronger culture of service and impactful leadership across campus.
C.A.R.E. Project 2021–2025 The C.A.R.E. Project was a pilot endeavor from the North American Division’s Adventist Community Services and the North Pacific Union Conference with a vision to increase the involvement of young people in community service through a comprehensive assessment-based engagement plan, supported by a team of C.A.R.E. Advocates and resident expert partners. During its length we supported four major locations: A Watered Garden Family Learning Center, Portland Adventist Community Services, Bonners Ferry Adventist Church, and Spokane Central Adventist Church.
25 | Student-Led Programs
Hey Neighbor Neighbor 2023–Ongoing The Hey Neighbor Neighbor initiative began as a heartfelt response to the growing loneliness experienced during the pandemic. Its mission is to foster community solidarity by encouraging intentional togetherness, next-step actions, and meaningful connection. What started as simple gestures of outreach has evolved into a multi-faceted initiative—ranging from monthly community events that bring neighbors faceto-face, to weekly text challenges that inspire acts of kindness and connection. Hey Neighbor Neighbor continues to grow as new events and tools are developed with the goal of reminding everyone that we are a stronger community together and that big things start with small, consistent actions.
College Place Spring Block Party 2023–Ongoing
Each spring, College Avenue bursts with energy during the annual Spring Block Party—an event hosted in partnership with the City of College Place. Surrounding families and community groups are welcomed to a packed afternoon of food and music where our campus and student culture is shared with more than 70 vendors and 2500–3000 attendees.
At Spring Block Party in Spring 2025, CHE launched a pilot test of the Hey Neighbor Card Game. This card deck, custom-themed with public event challenges, encouraged an entire city to meet their neighbors through a variety of engaging and service-oriented prompts. More than 100 active participants responded by engaging with attendees, turning strangers into neighbors. CHE is expanding card decks for classrooms, clubs, workplaces, and churches. The challenges invite groups to take simple, intentional steps to build stronger, more connected communities.
Walla Walla Tool Library 2023–Ongoing The Walla Walla Tool Library makes it easier for neighbors to care for their homes, gardens, and community by providing affordable access to shared tools and equipment. By reducing financial barriers and encouraging resource sharing, the Tool Library empowers residents to take on projects they might not otherwise attempt, while fostering a spirit of collaboration and sustainability across the valley.
U-Crew 2025–Ongoing Some needs require an urgency or skill that volunteers are not always able to meet. U-Crew consists of WWU student workers devoted to aiding neighbors in need of practical support through yard cleanup, light home repair, and moving assistance. U-Crew projects reflect the simple but powerful idea that small works can make a lasting difference for local families and individuals living independently in their homes.
The Tool Library has 50 active members and an expanding selection of more than 250 tools. Hands-on workshops are hosted through the Tool Library. From tile and grout to oil changes, volunteer instructors teach skills and techniques that encourage a do-it-yourself mindset and a waste-reducing approach to life.
27 | Student-Led Programs
Annual days of service CHE builds deeper relationships with all we serve. Two annual service days are just facets of the year-round support the university provides to community partners and neighbors in need. Fall Service Day has remained a Walla Walla University tradition since 1992. This campus-wide initiative lets students, faculty, and staff partner with local agencies on meaningful community projects. WWU excuses Wednesday morning classes for all to make an impact in every facet of our valley. With the founding of CHE, a dedicated student team now runs this annual event and fosters ongoing relationships with service sites.
Tri-College Community Day unites students from Walla Walla University, Walla Walla Community College, and Whitman College for a powerful day of impactful collaboration. This annual spring tradition has evolved in scope with CHE’s development of the Blue Mountain Volunteer Corps and the Walla Walla Tool Library.
Through these and other major service events for incoming freshmen, campus visitors, clubs, and other groups, CHE teaches the value of stepping off campus to seek out real needs. Beyond any single hands-on project, service is about connection, shared purpose, and showing what’s possible when you help side-by-side.
29 | Student-Led Programs
Disaster preparedness 2023–Ongoing
CERT equips residents and students with vital disaster-response skills—from basic first aid and light search-and-rescue to disaster psychology and team coordination. CERT fosters preparedness and collective resilience, ensuring our community responds effectively when it matters most. Annual trainings for this federally sponsored program are hosted by CHE in partnership with Walla Walla County Emergency Management and Adventist Community Services. The local CERT team meets monthly for continued training and action with the Disaster Airlift Response Team and first responders.
Blood Drives Ongoing monthly
For more than a decade, Walla Walla University has partnered with the American Red Cross to host blood drives on campus, creating life-saving opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to give back. Providing critical patient resources embodies WWU’s commitment to service and community care—each donation carries the potential to save up to three lives.
4000 Blood drive participants.
100 Blood drives hosted.
National Day of Service 2020–Ongoing
Each January, Walla Walla University joins Whitman College and multiple community partners to honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. through day of commemoration events. Student leaders collaborate to guide a peaceful march through downtown Walla Walla, followed by inspiring performances and a keynote address at the Gesa Power House Theatre. With Martin Luther King Jr. Day recognized as a National Day of Service, the events conclude with a CHE-led volunteer opportunity. Recent years have supported the Backpack Bridge program through the Blue Mountain Action Council (BMAC) Food Bank, where participants reflect, connect, and explore ways to continue King’s work through local action and service.
Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others’? - Martin Luther King Jr.
Birthday Together 2026–Ongoing
Multiple volunteer groups gathered over the course of a week to assemble kits containing everything needed for an impromptu celebration—shelf-stable cake mix, hats, balloons, handwritten cards, and more. These kits were distributed through partner-agency clients with a simple purpose: to let people know they matter and that no one should feel forgotten. The first batch of 400 birthday kits were prepared by elementary students, young adults, and community members with AmeriCorps funding thanks to a Martin Luther King Jr. Day National Day of Service Grant from the Washington Campus Coalition for the Public Good.
Digital literacy explored 2026–Ongoing
Through a collaboration with the Community Council, the SonBridge Center for Better Living, and the Goodwill Employment Connection Center, WWU students stepped into the classroom as teachers. This pilot program resulted in a quarter-long curriculum for elderly members of the community. Our student instructors catered to those who sought familiarity with basic computer use, telehealth access, virtual banking, and online safety.
31 | Love in Action
Let us not love in word or spirit but in action and in truth. - 1 John 3:18 The Center for Humanitarian Engagement emphasizes the power of connecting with Christ through service. During a vespers program, David Lopez sat down with three women whose lives have been deeply touched by Walla Walla University’s Christian service mission—from Sarah, a local resident who moved into a new home thanks to volunteers, to Sadie, a CHE student missionary with the C.A.R.E. Project, and Verlie Ward, whose COVID-era friendship inspired the Hey Neighbor Neighbor initiative. Students are encouraged to live out love in action daily, wherever God leads.
Restoring home Life after exiting an abusive relationship We first learned about Sarah and her young daughter through the Walla Walla YWCA, who asked if university students could help clean a home Sarah had recently purchased as she worked to rebuild her life after domestic violence. During a CARE Weekend, a few students were so moved by her story that they returned night after night the following week—scrubbing bathtubs, removing mold from the ceiling, and restoring dignity to the space. Through the Blue Mountain Volunteer Corps, student volunteers helped transform a house into a home: clearing dead branches, building a fence, deep cleaning, hauling debris, priming and painting, washing windows, and mowing the lawn. Through the Walla Walla Tool Library, Sarah was also able to borrow tools to install bathroom flooring and make repairs she otherwise could not afford. Later, Sarah shared her story at Vespers, inspiring many to stay involved. Her journey beautifully weaves together community resources provided through CHE and student compassion— love in action.
33 | Global Impact
Global Impact From Meghalaya to Machaquila We are called to recognize a community that extends far beyond the comforts of home. Walla Walla University collaborates on cross-cultural opportunities to allow Christ’s hands to reach every corner of the globe. From medical mission trips to business development and humanitarian aid, the Center for Humanitarian Engagement is blessed to share the transformative power of service that shapes generations of global citizens and compassionate leaders.
5,000 India Missions Residents with reliable drinking water after EWB students fundraised, engineered, and installed a solarpowered pump system in Manda, Tanzania.
CHE sponsored preliminary assessments of a new Engineers Without Borders (EWB) project site in Manzini, Eswatini—a 1,083-acre farm that grows vegetables to feed several hundred orphans. Student members of EWB spent four days collecting technical data, taking soil samples, and building community connections while exploring options for wastewater treatment infrastructure, a women’s rescue center, and an orphanage on this property. Large teams from the university’s School of Nursing performed annual immunizations at Riverside Adventist Academy (RAA) in Meghalaya, India until a major flood brought tragedy. After supporting an EWB project for the RAA campus, CHE and the School of Engineering continue to help manage restoration efforts and improvements, such as boundary walls to prevent elephant disruptions and increase student safety, plus a bridge that eliminates a major barrier for students crossing the river to attend. Since 2023, CHE has arranged an annual spring break service trip designed for WWU’s pre-professional students—those who aim to attend medical or dental school after graduation. In collaboration with Loma Linda University, clinics through Sanatorio Manos Ayudadoras in Machaquila, Guatemala see hundreds of patients in remote areas without reliable access to healthcare. Students gain important hands-on experiences to supplement their postgraduate applications and pursue scholarships that support commitments to medical care in under-served communities.
35 | Global Impact
Seattle Mission 2026 Stemming from two CHE weekend trips focused on inspiring future church planters, members of the WWU Asian Pacific Islander Club (APIC) expressed a desire to explore deeper service connections in Seattle, Washington. Pomai Kekauoha, a CHE student leader, stepped forward to accept the daunting undertaking a spring break mission trip. Kekauoha spent months coordinating with Volunteer Park Seventh-day Adventist Church, the North Pacific Union Conference, and APIC for a week of shared faith, cultural exploration, and community service. They planned to canvas neighborhoods to connect with residents one-on-one and invite them to evangelistic meetings at the church—which the students would help run. Immersed in what it looks like to live and work in a city while actively serving God, they also devoted time to: • Public elementary school service projects. • Educator appreciation gestures. • Neighborhood prayer walks. • “Faith in the Workplace” career tours of major Seattle employers such as the Gates Foundation and Amazon. But the trip accomplished more than Kekauoha could have planned. Between the stress of major responsibility and the joy of service with her peers, she found something she hadn’t been looking for: a reason to stay. Kekauoha had been weighing her future at WWU. This trip showed that her community was real. That her leadership mattered. That transformational ministry could happen at home—through Generosity in Service, and through students who needed someone like her to say yes. “Say yes to service, no matter how small you think it is,” Kekauoha said. “Small impacts are still impacts. What feels small to you can be enormous to someone else.”
Pomai’s favorite memory was watching her fellow students during the evangelistic series—seeing their confidence grow, skills sharpen, and faith move from something private into something lived. “I kept thinking: imagine this after graduation. Imagine this kind of involvement in the church for the rest of their lives.”
Student participants resonated with the idea that you don’t have to cross an ocean to make a difference. “It’s important to plant seeds everywhere you go,” said Kekauoha, “especially with the people closest to you. Seattle has such a big population; it’s close, but it still has a wide reach.”
The group arrived back on campus spiritually transformed and energized to serve with one another in new ways, and Pomai found purpose. Seeking higher education that would change her life, she found a school that would help her change the lives of others.
37 | People and Purpose
Powered by Purpose Meet the team of purpose-driven student leaders who are sparking lasting change in our local communities while growing professionally in a service-centered environment. Below is a sampling of CHE student staff members over the years—campus leaders who each left a meaningful legacy through their dedication and impact. Adrian VeraPreas Aidan Richards Aine Schmidt Alex Bazan Alexander Rusenescu Allison Simmons Ana Segawa Angelo Simorangkir Anilce Castillo Anique Gruia Annalise Birge Annika De La O Ashley Davila Ashly Barrosso Bauer Meeks Becky Orozco Bernice Castaneda Briana Hernandez Brook Danelson Caleb Shirinzadeh Carola Bucafusco Castianola Batista Medina Cedric Merrills Chad Nelson Connor Natiuk Courtney Clark
Courtney Easterbrook Dania Estrada-Castanaza Danyil Yaroshyk Dasha Hladiuk Diego Chavez Diego Gutierrez DJ Roberts Elena Harris Emily Fry Emily Kitto Emily Nuss Emily Vaughn Emily Deisch Fay Sui Felicia Outh Gina Lorenz Grant Hartman Hailey Bischoff Hailey Werner Isaac Baik Isaac Peterson Jacob Mayes Janette Wagness Jocelyn Curiel Ruiz Joel Wagness
John Aitken Jonathan Joplin Jonathan Terry Joseph Santana Josephine Gosuk Joshua Franzke Joshua Leong Josiah Buster Julianna Tkachuck Juvytza Cervantes Katelind Renae Lambert Katryna Anderson Kendra Negley Keziah Perez Kiana Brusett Kirstyn Joplin Kristen Whitley Kristian Busby Kyle Wilson Larissa Krueger Lauren Rittenbach Liberty Anderson Lindsey Reed Lindsey Schumacher Luis Falcón Angeles
Associate Directors Nicholas Edge Joanna Nelson Jonathan Simons
Founding Executive Director David Lopez
Madison Turner Marcus Lupse Mark Vozhdaienko Matthew Peinado Megan Lersbak Megan Nunnaley Megan Sandiford Melanie Grey Mitchell Powers Natalia Jimenez Nick Ault Nicolas Marcondes Nicole Jackson Paris Romero Paul Kalonji Pomai Kekauoha Rachel James Raina Hernandez Ryan Smith-Alvarez Samuel Schaffner Sean Salinas Sydney Payne Taylar Peterson Valerie Panossian Xander Culver Zachary Licon
39 | People and Purpose
Partners and Support Your investment is not just in community but in the longterm success and education of our students. Thank you for your generous support of the ministry of the Center for Humanitarian Engagement.
PRESENTING
$7+n
Millio
$2+
Million
BENEFACTOR
Anonymous Family Foundation
DONOR PARTNERS Adventist Community Services Blue Mountain Credit Union City of College Place North Pacific Union Conference Upper Columbia Conference Walla Walla University Church STOKSTAD SERVICE ENDOWMENT
PROGRAM PARTNERS We are honored to routinely collaborate with more than 80 local agencies on communityserving programming. We recognize a few partners who have provided professional and academic opportunities for WWU students: » Adventist Community Services » Better Living Center Spokane » Bonners Ferry Adventist Church » Goodwill Industries of the Columbia » Portland Adventist Community Services
With deep appreciation to all the
» Serve One More
INDEPENDENT DONORS like you
» SonBridge Center for Better Living
making gifts from the heart—thank you.
» Spokane Central Adventist Church » Sustainable Living Center » United Way of the Blue Mountains » Walla Walla Community College » Whitman College
Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. - 1 John 3:18
A historic building on the corner of campus given new purpose—for purpose.
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Multipurpose community auditorium.
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Service-program headquarters.
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Collaborative workshops.
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Tool Library and makerspace.
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Neighborhood warming kitchen.
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Family-friendly event restrooms.
A place of belonging, intentional connection, and neighborly support through student outreach.
Welcome to the new home of:
The operational base for student-driven community initiatives that exemplify Generosity in Service.
Find us at 4th St and College Ave— coming soon!
Scan for CHE building renovation project updates.
Support the next generation of Christian service through online giving: wallawalla.edu/che
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. - 1 Peter 4:10
che@wallawalla.edu | (509) 527-2100 | wallawalla.edu/che 204 S. College Ave, College Place, WA 99324